Wild Card
by Darkclarkson
Summary: As a warm-up for the Indigo Plateau Conference, the League Board decide to stage an exhibition match. What follows is one of the most unexpected battles of Ash Ketchum's career, as he fights against a man in knitwear and a dog with an IQ higher than most.
1. Chapter 1

"Ladies and gentleman!" Freddy O'Martian, the announcer shouted over the screaming of the assembled crowd inside the 50,000 seated stadium known as the RageCandyBar Arena due to sponsorship purposes. "Welcome to the first semi final of the fifty-second Indigo Plateau Conference here at the Indigo Plateau! If you are one of the lucky ones to be here in the RageCandyBar Arena today, then hello! If you're watching at home on television, listening on radio, or at one of the many cinemas around the globe where these matches will be streamed live, we welcome you too!"

Freddy was stood in the middle of the stadium, dressed in a grey suit jacket, with a white shirt and matching trousers. On top of his neatly arranged black coiffure, he had placed a Pokémon League baseball cap. Although this may appear as a show of support, it had a second purpose; to hide the grey hairs that seemed to be cropping up more often than not when he woke in the morning.

"This afternoon, you will be treated to not one, but both of our semi-finals here! Before and in between the two, for your enjoyment, we will be staging a number of exhibition matches, showcasing Pokémon talent from around the world. From former and current Gym Leaders, to Champions and Elite Four members, this will be undoubtedly the best semi-final day this tournament has ever seen! But let's start by looking at the trainers who will be competing in today's first semi-final!"

The crowd turned to the central screen that was embedded in the tier of the main stand, just behind the judging and committee panel. The heads of the Pokémon League all turned in their seats to study the giant screen behind them. Everyone knew of course who would be competing, but it was best to show a certain degree of interest; it would garner a negative reaction from the fans if they did not. Up on the board, a black star specked background appeared as four cards faded into existence. Each one then flipped over to reveal a picture of each trainer stood in an impressive pose.

"Our first semi-final will be competed between Jason from Kanto's very own Pewter City, and Max from Petalburg in Hoenn!" Freddy shouted as the two respective trainer cards enlarged whilst the others faded away into the screen. One showed a young trainer of about twelve who was dressed in a red shirt and black shorts, with bright green sneakers that stood out against his dark skin. It was an eccentric mix of clothing, but the crowd cheered wildly. It was to be expected; he was the home trainer and had had the crowd cheering him through the screening, preliminaries and finals to this point.

"Jason started his Pokémon journey nearly two years ago, and is competing in his second league, his first Indigo Plateau!" Freddy spoke as looked up at the screen; he had rehearsed the facts beforehand, the sign of a talented commentator. "He spent time training with a close friend of his, the Pewter City gym leader Forrest, and is known to have a preference for using Pokémon from his native region. His starter was a Bulbasaur, which is yet to evolve, and his Pokémon hero is former champion of the Unova region, Alder!"

The other card showed an older boy, of around fifteen , dressed in a green shirt and beige trousers, with a black close fitting jacket and what appeared to be walking boots on his feet. He wore thin wiry glasses and was short for his age, but still seemed to show an air of confidence. There was an effortless smile on his face. The crowd still cheered wildly, although there seemed to be less noise than there had been for Jason.

"Max started his Pokémon journey over five years ago and is competing is his ninth league, his third Indigo Plateau! He previously reached the round of 32 and the quarter finals in his previous appearances, although his personal best is a final appearance in his native Ever Grande Conference." Freddy paused for effect, knowing what he would say next would send the crowd into a frenzy. "He trained under someone you all know and love; the current Kanto Champion, Ash!"

The crowd went mental. Ash Ketchum, known as just Ash nowadays, was a special Pokémon trainer. From humble beginnings in Pallet Town, he had grown into an internationally recognized trainer. Those lucky enough to have trained under him, or be a rival to him, were treated with almost equal respect; it was like saying you had met a president, or a famous film star if you had met a companion of Ash.

"His starter Pokémon was a Mudkip, and his Pokémon hero is his father Norman, who is the former Gym Leader of Petalburg!" Freddy called out, but the crowd weren't listening; most of them were still buzzing off the mention of the Champion. Freddy looked to the committee and lowered his microphone as he spoke into his earpiece.

"Are we ready?" he whispered.

A female voice replied . "He's been waiting for you to finish harping on."

Freddy grinned. "And the other?"

"He says he's ready. Also, both of them have got Pokémon out of the Poké Balls. Just to let you know."

"I've got it."

"They're coming up from below, thirty seconds."

Freddy turned back to the crowd. "And now, assembled Pokéfans, it is time for the first of our exhibition matches. Today, we are bringing you a David-v-Goliath full six-on-six match. One trainer with no tournaments to their name, one with everything to lose. Please, put your hands together for our David, Wallace from the region on Britannia, and our very own champion, Ash Ketchum!"

Right on time, the two trainer patches retracted as two figures were lifted up from opposite ends of the stadium. Ash Ketchum blinked as the harsh sunlight of the afternoon hit him full in the face; he adjusted his cap somewhat to cast a shadow over his eyes then turned to survey the stadium. Around him were screaming masses, all going wild. Regardless of having seen the sight hundreds of times before, Ash still felt nervous when he stepped out in front of any crowd. It wasn't quite stage fright, but it was still scary to an extent. Now he was champion, he had even more to play for; his reputation.

He got the first good look at his opponent. It was a man, of around fifty, who was broad shouldered and pale. He was dressed in a white long sleeved shirt, with a green knitted sleeveless jumper and a red bow tie. He wore brown trousers and what appeared to be brown shoes, tailored leather with a buckle that glinted in the sun. He was smiling benignly at the crowd, and seemed almost dazed to be out here. Ash was surprised at his age, wondering if he was a veteran, but he knew his opposition was a wild card. That didn't mean he wouldn't be powerful though, and Ash had selected a strong team for the battle.

To the man's right, there was a Pokémon. It looked like a dog, and was a light tan colour, with large eyes, brown ears and a black nose. It sat on its hind legs with its arms folded and an expression of concentration on its face as it regarded Ash. Ash looked down at Pikachu who was also regarding the dog-like Pokémon with apprehension; other trainers rarely kept a Pokémon out of a Poke Ball in a battle.

"This match will be capped with a thirty minute time limit and will be a full six-on-six battle!" shouted Freddy, over the deafening roar of the crowd at the appearance of Ash. He raised a hand to acknowledge them and they screamed even more. Freddy raised his voice again. "The field will be Grass and the winner will be determined when one trainer has no more available Pokémon. Trainers, are you ready?"

"Ready when you are, young lad," the man called Wallace called from across the field as it switched into grassy terrain. The dog balled one of its paws into a fist and placed it in the other. Ash was surprised at the corresponding actions from both of his opponents. The trainer seemed more at ease, whilst the Pokémon seemed tense. He reached to his belt and took hold of a Poké Ball, which he enlarged.

"Let's go!" he shouted over the crowd. "Muk, I choose you!"

He threw the ball and Muk emerged, falling to the ground and forming a purple shape of liquid. The eyes narrowed and the mouth widened in a leer as Wallace surveyed it.

"A Muk, eh?" he said, smiling. He turned to Gromit. "Shouldn't be too much trouble for us, lad, should it? Now, Shaun, it's time to fight!"

Ash did a double-take. _Shaun?_

Out of the Poké Ball came a small lamb-like Pokémon. It had a black head with what appeared to be a white fleece over its main body, short tail and the top of its head. It looked excitable, fidgeting quickly and smiling in the sort of way a Rhydon did before it punched a Geodude.

It may have been the most terrifying thing Ash had ever seen.

"Muk, don't underestimate its size!" he called out. Muk grunted in recognition and faced Shaun across the battlefield.

"Now," called out Freddy who had moved to a podium on one side of the arena, where he was sat behind a large microphone. "Let battle... begin!"

The match referee dropped both of his flags and immediately Ash seized the initiative.

"Muk, Sludge Bomb, let's go!"

Muk seemed to concentrate, before suddenly regurgitating a large shapeless blob of purple sludge. Even from a distance, Ash could smell it; the stench of raw sewage.

_Wonder how Muk does that_, he thought to himself.

Muk let the blob hang in the air, before firing it across the field. It flew through the air, heading closer to the small Pokémon.

"Dodge it, and use Stun Spore!" called Wallace, throwing a hand forward in a dramatic gesture. At the last minute, Shaun rolled to one side to avoid the Sludge Bomb which promptly crashed into the ground and left a wilted patch of grass. The sheep didn't stop though; it continued to roll until it came up on its legs and bleated loudly. Small yellow flecks seemed to detach themselves from the wool on its back and flew quickly at Muk. Ash didn't have time to give the command before the sheep had managed to score a direct hit.

"Muk!" he shouted as the Poison-type struggled to move, caught by the static crackle of paralysis. It shifted forward and winced as its movements were restricted.

"Now Shaun, Quick Attack!" Wallace commanded pleasantly; it was as if he was speaking over tea rather than conducting a battle. Shaun leapt forward and burst towards Muk.

"Muk, counter with Sludge Wave!" Ash breathed a sigh of relief as Muk fought through the paralysis and launched a devastating wave of poison waste at Shaun. The small Pokémon failed to leap over and was instead washed backwards by the sludge as it crashed forward. It came to rest just in front of Wallace's feet. The dog wrinkled its nose in disgust at the smell as Shaun gingerly got back to its feet, its legs trembling.

"Muk, Sludge Bomb again!" Ash ordered. Muk began the process of another Sludge Bomb, only to buckle under the paralysis. Wallace sensed his chance.

"Shaun, try Quick Attack again!" The Pokémon moved forward, albeit slower this time with the sustained damage. It still managed to make it to Muk though, and launched itself from the ground, smashing into the Pokémon. Muk reeled and slid backwards, closer to Ash; the putrid stench odour filled his nostrils.

"Muk, hit it close with Sludge Bomb!"

As Shaun came back down and looked prepared to launch a second identical attack, Muk finally broke out of its paralysed state and hit it full in the face with the contents of its stomach. Shaun was sent sprawling backwards, skidding over tainted grass until it finally came to a rest in front of its trainer. It attempted to stand, but after a second it fell back to earth, its eyes rolling back into its head as it hit with a loud thud.

"Shaun is unable to battle," called the referee. "The first win goes to Ash!"

The crowd screamed again as Freddy attempted to shout over them to give some statistic or fact concerning Muk. Wallace leant down and rubbed Shaun's head, oblivious to the gunk covering it or the smell and returned it quickly.

"Well, that went as well as could be expected," he said as he pulled a second Poké Ball. "Now, Cooker, let's pull this one back."

If Ash had been surprised by the name and subsequent appearance of Shaun, this was nothing compared to the Pokémon that followed. Cooker was exactly what it said on the tin; a cooker. It was about five foot tall, a rectangular box shape with numerous dials and – a coin meter built in? To further his shock, it also appeared to be on skis and had two arms at the side, complete with white gloves and ski sticks.

_I don't recall having anything different for breakfast this morning_, Ash thought to himself. He looked at Pikachu whose mouth was wide open in astonishment.

"Pika," it said simply, adding no further comment.

"Now, Cooker," Wallace called out. "Metal Sound!"

At once, an ear-splitting sound of scraping metal emitted from the strange Pokémon. Muk writhed in pain, as Pikachu and the Pokémon known as Gromit both clamped their hands over their ears. Ash couldn't hear the high grating sound, but he knew that its effects were detrimental to the Poison-type Pokémon.

"Muk, Sludge Bomb!"

"Cooker, Bullet Punch!"

As Muk began to regurgitate again, Cooker shot forward like a rocket, its right arm pulled back, the glove glowing brightly, the ski stick still clenched. Before Muk could attack, it found a fist embedded into its face, sending it tumbling backwards.

"Finish it, Cooker," Wallace commanded, sticking out his hand, as Muk slowly shifted its form again. "Earth Power!"

The Pokémon raised its arms, then smashed the ski sticks down into the ground. At once, there was an eruption of rock from a newly formed fissure and bright hot energy spilled out, bursting through Muk. It did not even make a sound as the chunks of rock smashed into it. Instead, it simply keeled over, its eyes unfocused.

"Muk is unable to battle," called out the referee as Cooker returned to its side of the field. "The victory goes to Wallace!"

Cheers erupted again as Wallace and Cooker waved to the crowd. Ash walked forward to Muk who gave him an upset look.

"Nothing you could do about it," he told it, pulling out his Poké Ball. "Now, take a good rest."

He returned Muk and slowly moved back to where the platform was. He reached for his second Poké Ball.

"It looks like a Steel-type," he murmured. "And if so, I have just the Pokémon to do it. Torkoal, I choose you!"

He hurled the Poké Ball forward into the air and released the large, tortoise-like Pokémon. Smoke billowed from its nostrils, and it shifted slightly to face its opponent.

"Now, Torkoal, use Flamethrower!" Ash commanded. Torkoal opened its mouth and unleashed a stream of fire towards its opponent.

"Cooker, use Protect!" shouted Wallace. The robot raised its arms and crossed them, forming a green energy shield to which the fire simply bounced off.

"Try again, Torkoal! Flamethrower!"

"Cooker! Earth Power, quickly!"

As the flames burst forward, they were engulfed by the new fissure that rocked underneath Torkoal and hit it with a burst of energy. It reeled back in pain, allowing its opponent to move in on it.

"Bullet Punch!" called Wallace. Again, the gloved fist glowed and the Pokémon sped towards Torkoal, spearing it directly on its underbelly. It crumpled under the attack, and Cooker hit it again, and again, repeatedly driving its fists into it.

"Torkoal, no!" Ash cried out as it continued to stumble through the attack. "Try and deflect it with your shell!"

As another Bullet Punch flew towards it, Torkoal managed to turn on the spot; the first connected with the shell and bounced backwards. Cooker recoiled slightly, giving Ash the window of opportunity he needed.

"Torkoal, turn and use Overheat!"

As its opponent wheeled backwards in preparation for another attack, Torkoal spun on the spot and glowed red as it unleashed a massive surge of flame at Cooker. Wallace did not have enough time to call out a move or a command before it was engulfed by the fire, roasting; the audible sound of crackling metal could be heard above the roar of the crowd. When the flames cleared, Cooker was still standing, but heavily damaged. It spontaneously sparked and was again set on fire.

"Cooker has got the Burn!" called out Freddy. "That status condition is eating away at what health it has left after that super effective attack by Torkoal!"

"Don't let it stop you, Cooker!" shouted Wallace. "Use Earth Power as a long range attack!"

"Torkoal, dodge it and use Overheat once more!" Ash shouted in response. As the fissures began to form, Torkoal rolled onto its shell to the left and back onto its feet, before firing its attack upon Cooker. It did not have enough time to shield with Protect before it was hit with Overheat; this time, it fell backwards under the attack, knocked out, unable to move.

"Cooker is unable to battle," the referee called out. "The victory goes to Ash!"

The deafening roar grew more intense as Ash raised a fist in acknowledgement of his win. Wallace silently returned his Pokémon and pocketed it again, moving to another ball.

"I like your style, young man," he called out across the arena. "You remind me of the gutsiness I had thirty years ago when I was a trainer in your position."

Ash looked at the man intently and smiled. "You're a former Champion too?"

Wallace returned the smile. "Three times, my dear boy. And whilst it's been a while since I last battled, don't underestimate me or my team." He picked the Poké Ball he had been touching in his pocket and enlarged it. "Let's see what you make of this one. Preston, let's go!"

He threw the ball into the air; it opened and emerging from it came a large, hulking brown dog-like Pokémon. Compared to the one out of the ball, who was regular sized, this one was considerably larger, a deep brown shade, with a fierce look in its eyes. Ash studied it carefully and turned back to Torkoal.

"You deserve a good rest after that hard work. Torkoal, return!"

He pushed the Poké Ball back into his belt and selected another one. If he was going to fight against something big, he needed to trump it in the size stakes.

"Snorlax, I choose you!"

The huge Pokémon landed on the grass and looked sleepily around taking in its surroundings. It seemed to suddenly become more alert with the presence of an opponent on the field.

"I see that size does matter," Wallace said dryly; Ash laughed at his remark.

"Well, let's see if biggest is best. Now Snorlax, show them what you're made of!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Begin!" shouted the referee, dropping the flags. Ash immediately pressed forward.

"Snorlax, Ice Punch, let's go!"

Snorlax moved forward, lumbering towards its opponent, its arm pulled back. The fist was glowing and small shards of ice were beginning to form on the knuckles.

"Preston, wait for the attack," Wallace called. "Wait until the last minute!"

Ash frowned. His opponent wasn't calling a move, which was always a worry. Usually, the people who didn't call moves were either new trainers who had no notion of how to react to an attack, or experienced masters who knew every trick in the book. Despite leading the battle, Ash had the feeling that Wallace fell into that later category and was not to be underestimated.

Snorlax was moving quite fast now, heading towards the large brown beast. Its fist had solidified into a glove of ice and it had barred its teeth. With every step, it drew closer, waiting to strike its prey –

"Preston, grab the hand!"

To Ash's sudden surprise, his opponent simply reached out both hands above itself, and as Snorlax, delivered the attack downwards, simply grasped it. Ice seemed to spread onto the hands, yet the Pokémon did not flinch, staring impassively at Snorlax, who seemed to be trying to force its hand further.

"Now, use Circle Throw!"

The hands, tightened around the knuckles, and with amazing strength, Preston rolled onto its back. The crowd watched, stunned, as Snorlax was raised into the air, before being brought down behind Preston with an earth-shattering force. The ground shook, with the grass shaking wildly from the impact. Its opponent simply righted itself with one fluid motion, back onto its feet and turned to face Snorlax, its back to Ash.

"Snorlax, are you alright?" he called out worriedly; he had never seen Snorlax been unable to overpower an opponent in hand-to-hand combat from the off. Snorlax groaned loudly and slowly righted itself, pushing up from the ground and grimacing. Preston stood, an impassive look on its face, staring down the large Pokémon.

"Preston, use Strength!" Wallace shouted. The dog-like Pokémon moved forward with a surprising agility, moving towards Snorlax, its fists clenched. Ash watched as his opponent moved at speed, and quickly made to stop it.

"Snorlax, use Ice Punch on the grass!" he called. Snorlax raised its fist, still coated with ice shards, and drove it into the ground fiercely. As Ash had hoped, the moisture in the grass surrounding Snorlax immediately froze up, resulting in the freezing a ten foot hemisphere of turf in front of it. Wallace did not have time to alter his command; Preston simply placed a foot on the ice and slipped. For the first time, its expression changed fleetingly to one of an almost comical surprise, before its face returned to an impassive stare as it flipped backwards and landed on its back, the weight shattering the ice.

"What a hit!" shouted Freddy from the side. "Ash, again, uses the field to his advantage to claim a critical hit!"

The roar of the crowd was intense as Snorlax slowly circled Preston, treading on the ice cautiously. It cracked under the huge weight regardless, but Ash had no desire to fall victim to his own strategy. He looked down at Pikachu, whose gaze was focused not on the battle, but the Pokémon next to Wallace who was staring back with a hard determination.

"You alright, Pikachu?"

Pikachu seemed to shake out of its revere and looked at his trainer. "Pika."

Ash nodded. "Keep it up, Snorlax. Now, Body Slam!"

Snorlax bent down slightly, then sprung into the air. The entire crowd gasped collectively as Snorlax flew through the air gracefully, or as graceful as is possible for a Snorlax. After only a couple of seconds, Snorlax reached the zenith of its flight before falling like a rock out of the sky.

"Preston, stay there!" Wallace called out. Preston crossed its arms and stayed stock still. Ash's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"What the hell is he doing?" he murmured as Snorlax rapidly fell. It was too late to give an alternate command; with an almighty smack, Snorlax hit Preston square on, creating minor tremors throughout the stadium, and a dust cloud from the edge of the grass that whipped up intensely. The shockwave nearly blew Ash's hat off; Pikachu braced itself against the wind, its eyes clamped tightly shut.

After around half a minute of tense waiting, the dust began to clear. Snorlax moved off gingerly and stepped backwards; it appeared to have heavy bruising on its stomach. Ash looked in shock; Snorlax rarely showed its injuries, yet after its trademark move, it seemed to have sustained a painful one. What shocked Ash even more was when Preston rose from the ground, it did not appear to have suffered any injuries. Again, its expression remained neutral, simply facing Snorlax.

Ash's mind was reeling. The Pokémon hadn't used any protective moves from what he could tell, and didn't have a hold item; additional items were banned in competitive battling. But somehow, the beast had not been hurt in the attack.

"This isn't a normal Pokémon," he whispered to himself.

"Now, Preston, use Strength, again!" Wallace commanded, pointing at Snorlax. Preston lurched forward, its hands spread in front of it again, its impassive face flickering slightly between neutral and angry. There was no longer any ice on the field, so there was nothing to impede its movements.

"Snorlax, dodge it!" cried out Ash, but it came too late; Preston reached its opponent and planted one hand on the stomach, before using the other to create a push. Despite the magnitude of the push which caused a small backlash of energy, Snorlax only staggered slightly, thanks to its enormous size. However, this did not faze Preston.

"Strength!"

Ash thought quickly; at close range, Snorlax would suffer heavy damage unless it could defend itself.

"Snorlax, Protect!" he shouted. Snorlax raised its arms and a green barrier began to materialize in front of it.

"Preston, hold it open!" Wallace commanded.

"What?" exclaimed Ash in surprise and horror. As the shield began to solidify into a green energy barrier, Preston reached it and put its hands directly in front of itself, touching the shield. There was a momentary pause, before it slowly began to pull at what appeared to be thin air; Ash suddenly realized it was breaking through the shield.

"Snorlax, try to hold the shield!" he called out desperately as he watched Preston continue to widen the shield; the hole was already big enough for a projectile attack to be launched, but the Pokémon seemed determined to completely destroy the shield.

Ash suddenly noticed something. Preston had its back to him and along the spine and shoulders, the skin appeared to be... tearing? And underneath, there was a glint of something silver...

Suddenly, it all made sense to Ash, why Snorlax had been injured, and why his opponent seemed so invulnerable. It had almost been a perfect disguise, but the sheer amount of energy to destroy Protect had taken its toll.

The gap was just wide enough now, and inspiration hit Ash in a flash. He grinned.

"Snorlax, use Hyper Beam!"

It gave him a certain level of satisfaction as Wallace's eyes widened across the field. Snorlax titled its head back for a moment, then reared it forward and fired a beam of high powered energy directly into the face of Preston. There was no time to react as the large bipedal Pokémon flew across the battlefield, and crashed to Earth just in front of Ash's feet. As the dust cleared, it became more apparent to Ash at close range that Preston was exactly what he thought; a Steel-type, under disguise to hide its true defensive nature.

Preston struggled to its feet and mechanically lifted an arm to its face. It took hold of its skin and ripped it away in patches, revealing the metallic body underneath. The crowd gasped as one.

"Well, there's a surprise!" shouted Freddy. "Preston is in fact a Steel-type underneath its soft exterior? How will Snorlax deal with its opponent now?"

Snorlax looked as if it was beginning to tire, but so did Preston now that its disguise was gone. Ash and Wallace's eyes locked over the battlefield.

"Preston, Double-Edge!"

"Snorlax, Body Slam!"

The two moved towards each other with a ferocious pace, throwing the entire weight and power behind the attack. Ash knew that he did not have the type advantage over his opponent, now that the true form had been exposed, but he was not going to give in like that. Snorlax had overcome disadvantages like that many a time before.

"Snorlax, put everything you've got into it!" he shouted. As the two Pokémon were only yards away, Snorlax made a sudden lurch forward, increasing its speed and dropping its shoulder to meet Preston's oncoming head; it had the desired effect Ash had been aiming for. The shoulder connected, then Snorlax brought it up, smashing Preston in the head and sending it arcing backwards through the air. It fell to ground with a solid _thud_, and skidded to a halt just in front of Wallace.

"Preston is unable to battle!" shouted the referee. "The winner is Snorlax!"

The roar from the crowd was deafening as Snorlax slumped from exhaustion and Ash let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He had been beginning to wonder if his opponent was invincible; it seemed to have absorbed every hit he had given it with Snorlax, one of the real powerhouses of his team.

"That brings the result to a 3-1 advantage to Ash, who has five Pokémon remaining!" Freddy yelled down his microphone in order to get over the noise of the crowd. "However, two have already seen battle whilst all of Wallace's remaining Pokémon are fresh for battle! Just how will this match turn out now?"

Across the field, Wallace was beaming as he returned his Pokémon, whilst his companion was nodding sagely at the result.

"That was excellent strategy there, young man. I can understand why you are the champion if you battle like that!"

"Thanks," Ash called back. "You too! It was a good disguise for a Pokémon!"

"But if size does matter," remarked Wallace as he picked another Poké Ball. "Then I think I have got just the beast to match you! Let's go!"

He threw the Poké Ball high and it released something that made Ash nearly fall over as he tried to take in the size. It was possibly bigger than Snorlax, and certainly just as wide; unlike Snorlax, it was coated in brown fur, had teeth the size of axe blades and ears the shape of tombstones.

It was unmistakeably a giant rabbit.

A vision of a film featuring silly knights on a quest against the French flitted to the front of Pikachu's mind before he shook his head and looked up at his trainer.

"In the name of Arceus," he whispered under his breath, before setting his face into a steely determined look. "Snorlax, be on guard!"

"Begin!" came the cry of the referee.

"Were-Rabbit, use Extremespeed!" shouted Wallace; the beast shot forward at such a pace that Ash didn't realize where it had gone until he saw Snorlax come flying through the air towards him. He suddenly felt for Preston and how he had attempted to dispatch of him as he leapt to one side, managing to land on his feet as Snorlax slid past him and on into the wall at the edge of the stadium. The resulting impact sent shockwaves through the concrete structure and several people screamed in surprise.

"Snorlax!" Ash shouted. "Get up! Come on, get up!"

"Finish it off, now!" Wallace cried out. "Use Focus Punch!"

Ash saw the huge form of the Were-Rabbit rip past him and could only watch in horrid fascination as it pulled its arm back before landing a brutal punch directly into Snorlax's jaw. The Pokémon was sent flying around the edge of the stadium, sticking to the wall until it lost momentum and finally came to a grinding halt.

"Snorlax is unable to battle! The winner is the Were-Rabbit!"

There was a sudden silence in the arena before the Were-Rabbit roared and the crowd burst into applause and screaming.

"I don't believe it!" Freddy announced, rousing himself from the unexpectedly quick and brutal beatdown he had just witnessed. "Snorlax, an undisputed champion of heavyweight battling has just had it handed to him by an unknown opponent! What a shock that was!"

Ash stared numbly at Snorlax's crumpled form as his brain began to slowly function again. It was as if the lights were coming back on after a power cut. He reached for the Poké Ball and recalled him slowly.

"Good job, Snorlax," he murmured. "You did well."

He placed the capsule back on his belt and traced his fingers over the remaining four. He still had a comfortable advantage but did not want to lose anymore Pokémon to his opponent right now; it was a beast, and he needed to knock it down before it could rip apart his team. His strategy had fallen apart; now, he had to think fast. He selected one and enlarged it.

"Let's show them what we're made of!" he shouted "Leavanny, I choose you!"

He threw the Poké Ball, releasing Leavanny into the air; he landed gracefully on his feet, and chirped slightly, before its eyes bulged slightly at the size of the Were-Rabbit.

"Now, Leavanny, use Energy Ball!"

"Dodge it Were-Rabbit! Use Bounce!"

The Were-Rabbit leapt as the green projectile soared underneath it, before coming down hard on the ground; Leavanny leapt without command to avoid the attack, and flew into the air, suspending itself for a moment, giving Ash the time to order his next move.

"Leavanny, use String Shot to pin it to the ground, then follow it up with Electroweb!"

Leavanny fired a long white thread that hit the Were-Rabbit on its feet, before following up with an electrified net of energy that landed over the head of its opponent and forced it into a crouched position.

Ash smirked as the crowd roared at Leavanny's set piece attack. Using the two moves, he could root his opponent to a single spot before unleashing multiple attacks, usually Energy Ball, which was exactly his plan.

"Energy Ball!"

"Were-Rabbit, use Bide!" shouted Wallace. As Leavanny began to dance around the captured beast, launching attacks at intervals, the Were-Rabbit began to shudder slightly and gained a faint reddish hue. It did not make any attempt to move from its bindings however, yet kept both of its eyes trained intensely on Leavanny when it came into the path of its gaze. Suddenly, its colour darkened even more and faint steam began to rise above it, as if it was burning. The electricity surrounding it picked up from a quiet hum into an audible crackle, as if it was straining and Ash realized what was about to happen moments before it did.

"Leavanny, watch yourself! Pull back but keep up those attacks!"

Leavanny leapt several feet backwards, and was about to launch another attack when the Were-Rabbit gave a deafening roar and ripped forwards, through the netting as if it was nothing, before planting a fist directly in Leavanny's face. The Nurturing Pokémon was sent sprawling backwards by the sheer impact, rocketing into the ground, sending a dust cloud up that engulfed the centre of the battlefield, obstructing Ash's view of the battlefield.

"Leavanny!"

There was silence for a moment before the sound of the Were-Rabbit's roar; however, it suddenly stopped with a squeak and a thud. As the dust cleared, Ash saw the Were-Rabbit stagger backwards slightly, with Leavanny's arms glowing green in the aftermath of an X-Scissor, its legs shaking. He turned to face his trainer and nodded. The Were-Rabbit may have been big and fast, but it had suffered greatly whilst holding on for Bide; but Bide itself had damaged Leavanny brutally.

It would be down to the next move to decide this round.

"Were-Rabbit, Bounce!"

"Leavanny, Energy Ball!"

Ash watched as the huge opponent leapt, the Energy Ball skimming underneath it. Leavanny raised its head to the sky as the Were-Rabbit reached the pinnacle of its attack. It was now or never.

"Leavanny, jump and use X-Scissor one more time!"

Despite the pain, Leavanny managed to bend its legs and threw itself into the air, crossing its arms in front of itself. There was the space of a second where it felt like an eternity as the two Pokémon flew towards each other; then, at the dying moment, Leavanny made a sudden dart forward in midair, and slashed its arms across the Were-Rabbit's chest.

The fall to ground seemed to take even longer. Both Pokémon tumbled from the sky and hit the ground with a resounding thud, again drawing up dust. At the edge of the battlefield, both trainers and their partner Pokémon shielded their eyes from the small pieces of earth that had been drawn from the grass on impact. As the cloud cleared, Ash saw the Were-Rabbit slumped motionless on the floor.

Leavanny was also on the floor, but slowly beginning to move to its feet. It placed its arms down and propped itself up slowly, before finally regaining its footing.

"Were-Rabbit is unable to battle. Leavanny is the winner, which means the round goes to Ash!"

Ash exhaled again as the crowd screamed wildly. He had honestly expected Leavanny to have been down for the count after Bide had struck with such intensity, but the odds had been defied again.

Not that the odds should have been against them in the first place.

He studied the opposing trainer and his companion again as he returned his Pokémon and unfastened another Poké Ball from his belt. On the surface, there had appeared to be a mild-mannered man, the sort you found at hotels on the waterfront, a reserved, yet gentlemanly type of the retired businessman sort. Yet, with the battle over halfway, he could see that beneath the exterior beat the heart and mind of a keen tactician, one who knew how to battle, and who knew the rules inside out; one who wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty and didn't pull punches for the sake of pulling punches. The dog, whose name he was yet to ascertain, seemed to also be of an intellectual mind; his IQ was probably higher than his masters, the way he conveyed so many emotions with such little effort; a master actor, yet a potential unknown as a battle opponent.

Regardless, Wallace only had two Pokémon left and it was guaranteed that one of them would be the dog; Ash had the distinct feeling that he was being saved for later.

He looked at Leavanny; even though it was back on its feet, it looked ready to drop at the smallest gust of wind; it needed some rest, and he still had three other Pokémon left as well.

"Take a rest, Leavanny," he said kindly as he returned the Pokémon, before pulling out another Poké Ball. "Staraptor, I choose you!"

The Flying-type Pokémon took to the skies as soon as it was released, cawing loudly, before hovering over the empty battlefield, its wing beats causing small gusts of wind to shake the grass lightly.

"Feathers, go!" shouted Wallace as he threw his Poké Ball out; the Pokémon inside materialized and landed softly on the ground.

It was a bird, undoubtedly; the name had given that much away to Ash. It was actually similar in its height and build to a Prinplup however, which indicated that whilst a bird, it would be unable to fly. It was a jet black colour with a white stomach and a little orange beak. But the most noticeable feature were its eyes; small little coals in its face that seemed to radiate an unforgiving coldness and ruthless demeanour.

Ash gulped.

"Begin!"

"Feathers, Block, quickly!"

The penguin spread its flippers wide; it seemed to radiate energy for a moment, then it lowered its flippers again. Ash felt the Poké Ball in his hand automatically lock itself; Staraptor was out there for the fight now.

"Staraptor, use Aerial Ace!" he commanded.

"Counter it Feathers, with Aerial Ace too!" shouted Wallace as Staraptor began to speed towards the penguin; it burst forward along the ground with an unexpectedly fast waddle, before jumping to meet the Predator Pokémon: they clashed evenly and both fell back, without any apparently serious damage to the other.

"Now, Staraptor, Quick Attack!" Staraptor shot forward, its wings folded back as it darted towards Feathers at breakneck speed.

"Come on lad, to the side with you!" Wallace called out; as Staraptor was moments away from impacting, Feathers threw itself to one side, rolling in the grass and coming up as Staraptor sailed past, turning sharply upwards and looping back down towards the penguin.

"Staraptor, change it into Brave Bird!" Ash shouted.

"Hold still for a moment Feathers!" Wallace ordered. Ash crinkled his brow in surprise as Staraptor headed towards the unmoving figure on the battlefield, blue fire beginning to form around its body. He couldn't see what move Wallace was playing here unless he planned to use a last minute protect.

To his increased surprise, Wallace went on the offensive rather than the defensive.

"Feathers, jump and use Drill Peck straight into Brave Bird!"

The penguin leapt and began to twist in midair; at first it was slow and surprisingly graceful, before it picked up pace and became a black shape that juddered slightly before it moved forward into the air and collided head-on with Staraptor. To Ash's shock, Staraptor seemed unable to overpower its smaller opponent. With a sharp howl, it fell back as Feathers knocked it over and leapt back into the air, sending Staraptor into the ground.

"Now Feathers, use Ice Beam!" commanded Wallace, throwing out his arm in a sweeping gesture. The penguin reared its head backwards, a small ball of pale blue forming at the tip of its beak; then, it brought it forward and shot a bolt of freezing energy towards Staraptor.

"Dodge it using Brave Bird again!" Ash cried out. Despite having been knocked back, Staraptor was still in a solid condition; it burst into life again, heading towards the airborne Feathers who was continuing to shoot icy energy at its opponent. As Brave Bird took effect and the blue fire surrounded Staraptor, the energy collided, creating huge cloud of steam that blew around the arena, obscuring the vision of all.

Ash gritted his teeth. This battle was beginning to give even him a run for his money. He heard Wallace shout out from across the fog.

"It's not over yet, Ash Ketchum! I hope you realize now that this isn't just a battle of strength; this is a fight of integrity for you!"

As the steam began to slowly clear, the realization hit Ash that Wallace was correct; he had underestimated his opponent's strategy, picked a weaker team than normal, felt overconfident. He may still hold the advantage in numbers, but he knew deep in his heart that this battle was destined to go down to the wire.

How was he going to come out of this with his record as the greatest trainer intact?

_Well_, he thought to himself as he locked eyes with a determined Pikachu. _I wanted a battle, and a battle is what I got. Now, let's see what you can do on your last legs._

_And what I can do on mine if I'm to survive this fight._


	3. Chapter 3

The steam was slowly beginning to lift across the battlefield, but Ash was still unable to make out the blurred shapes in the white shroud that still hung. Then, to his horror, he heard Wallace shout:

"Aerial Ace, now!"

One of the blurred shapes – the one closer to Ash – darted forward with such an intensity and smashed headlong into the first one, drawing out a pained cry from somewhere on the opposite side of the field. There was a dull _thud_, and then, as the last vestiges disappeared, Ash saw Staraptor laying prone on the ground, unconscious, the penguin's foot resting on its opponent's throat. There was no expression; just a cold, calculating emptiness, with the smallest glint of triumph somewhere deep in the black beady eyes.

"Staraptor is unable to battle," the referee signalled. "The round goes to Feathers!"

The crowd cheered wildly for the underdog as he took down another of the Champion's team. Ash had to admit, they were equally behind him and Wallace, just as a good crowd should be. But it didn't make him feel any better as he returned Staraptor.

"You did well there," he murmured to the Poké Ball. "Take a good rest."

He holstered it to his belt and ran his fingers over the two remaining Poké Balls. He had already used Torkoal and Leavanny, and whilst Pikachu was fresh, he was hoping to not use him, unless push came to shove; besides, he still had no idea about the strength of the dog-like Pokémon stood next to Wallace, who seemed to be referred to as "lad" in every sentence, and looked supremely bored.

The penguin didn't look bored; it just didn't look anything, except like a Terminator. It was giving off the same cold aura that had been apparent on Preston earlier. Unlike Preston however, this one had already cleared off one Pokémon and didn't appear to be even breaking a sweat. It just looked plain vicious.

Making up his mind, he picked one and threw.

"Leavanny, I choose you!"

The Nurturing Pokémon looked around and met his opponent's gaze; he appeared to visibly flinch at the stare that was being levelled at him.

"An interesting choice, young man," commented Wallace from across the field, engaging him in chat for the first time in a few minutes; he was still friendly and personable, but Ash could finally detect some intensity in his voice, as if he was suddenly beginning to take the battle more seriously. "You choose a Bug and Grass type, whilst Feathers has both Flying and Ice type moves, which are super effective, and even quadruple effective, against it. I say, I admire your balls, son."

Ash nearly choked with suppressed laughter at the last comment, whilst Wallace gave a slight grin and his companion gave him a disgusted look.

"Begin!" the referee signalled, and at once, Wallace pressed his advantage.

"Feathers, use Block again!"

Ash had had a hunch this would be Wallace's ploy; to trap him again, and prevent a clean getaway. It was exactly why he had chosen to use Leavanny; two could play at that game.

"Leavanny, use Energy Ball!"

Leavanny launched an orb of bright green at its opponent, who still had its wings apart in the process of implementing Block; despite Wallace's call, it was unable to finish the move in time and dodge before it was barrelled off its feet. It occurred to Ash again that Leavanny was probably twice the height of his opponent, something which could be an advantage yet a potential downfall if he was not careful.

"Up, Feathers! Drill Peck, now!"

The penguin got to its feet and leapt forward, spinning through the air, gaining speed, heading straight for Leavanny with pace –

"Leavanny, use Energy Ball on the ground at your feet!" shouted Ash. Leavany angled his head downwards and fired quickly; the attack slammed into the ground, and as Feathers sped towards its opponent, large flying chunks of turf and mud smashed into it, causing it to burrow into the ground and miss Leavanny as he stepped to the side.

"Now, use String Shot to swing that bird!" Ash commanded, watching as Leavanny shot a thick, sticky thread that wrapped around the penguin as it began to climb to its feet; it was immediately tripped and fell down again as String Shot encased its lower half. Leavanny then began to pull to one side, beginning to slowly turn on the spot, at the same time dragging Feathers through the grass. The two began to spin faster, and faster, until Leavanny was a green blur on the spot, and Feathers was being spun round like a lasso.

"Feathers, try and break out with Drill Peck!" Wallace shouted; Ash saw the penguin trying to spin in the opposite direction to counteract the attack, but it was too late.

"Release him, Leavanny!"

Suddenly, Feathers found itself arching through the air, before crashing to the ground again. To Ash's concern, the penguin got up again and shrugged off the string; however, it was now noticeably swaying slightly and blinking.

"It appears that Feathers is confused!" Freddy shouted out. "An ingenious use of String Shot there, not to mention the makeshift projectiles created by Leavanny; Feathers is sure feeling that attack!"

Feathers shook itself slightly, then dropped its right foot behind it as if preparing to attack again.

"Feathers, use Aerial Ace!" shouted Wallace; Ash inwardly groaned. Wallace was obviously every bit as skilled as he had shown so far; Aerial Ace was a move that never missed if it could begin, and judging by the way Feathers began to move forward along the ground, it appeared apparent that it wasn't going to. He looked at the chunks of turf near Leavanny's feet and gained a sudden idea for a combination; it would be an extension of the one he had just performed, but he would have to time it just right, in order to make sure he could deal the penguin out for good.

"Leavanny, use Energy Ball again on the ground!" he commanded, throwing his arm forward. Leavanny again blasted his attack into the ground and again, bits of grass went flying towards Feathers like makeshift bullets.

"Feathers, break off and use Ice Beam to freeze the pellets!" Wallace ordered. Just as Ash had hoped, the penguin, still running forward, slowed somewhat in order to fire a jet of blue energy, freezing the grass that flew towards it and dropping them; it gave the opening he wanted.

"Now, Leavanny, use Electroweb, quickly!"

Leavanny reared its head backwards, before it shot multiple threads at once, each bristling with static and glowing bright yellow. Feathers tried to doge it by moving to the side as it continued to evade the remaining pieces of flying grass, but the web was too large; it snapped onto and wrapped around the penguin, bringing it to a halt about twenty feet away from Leavanny.

"Now, finish it with X-Scissor!"

The arms glowed green, and, with a swift jump, Leavanny leapt in front of its opponent and unleashed two sharp slashes, cutting the Electroweb and sending Feathers skidding across the grass, and bringing it to rest just in front of its trainer's feet.

There was a beat, then, slowly, it began to regain its feet.

"No way," Ash whispered under his breath, shocked.

Feathers climbed back to its feet and its eyes locked with Leavanny, who stared back, unwavering. There was a hushed atmosphere across the stadium for what seemed like minutes but in reality was only seconds, before the penguin gave a slight nod to its rival, then toppled backwards and landed spread-eagled on the ground, unconscious.

The crowd released the collected breath it had been holding and screamed madly.

"Feathers is unable to battle! The round goes to Leavanny!"

Ash released the breath _he_ had been holding slightly longer as Leavanny waltzed back over to him, whilst Wallace returned Feathers.

"An outstanding battle there from Leavanny!" shouted Freddy wildly. "The brilliant use of combinations helped shape this battle into a ferocious match; it almost felt like a contest battle, with such beauty and brutality!"

Ash looked across the field as Wallace turned and said something to his companion, who gave a brisk nod, then slowly wandered onto the field on his hind legs.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, we are now down to the last Pokémon for Wallace!" Freddy called out. "Wallace's last choice is also his first and foremost, his greatest; The Wry Pokémon, Gromit!"

_So_, Ash thought to himself, _Gromit_. _Wry indeed_. He studied the dog-like Pokémon as he stood, bow legged, arms to the side, in a Classic Western pose, his brow crinkled in concentration. He looked… there was no other word for it, _smart_. Like the most gifted university professor, there was an impression of quiet and understated knowledge lurking off the surface, hidden in the deepness.

"Begin!" shouted the referee, dropping the flags.

"Leavanny, use X-Scissor!" Ash commanded. Leavanny raced forward, its arms glowing again as it headed towards its opponent, preparing to deliver a harsh blow.

Fifty feet, forty feet, thirty feet, and still no call from Wallace. But suddenly, just as Leavanny leapt forward to deliver the hit, Gromit acted of his own accord; his right paw pulled backwards, glowing blue, then delivered in a flying punch to Leavanny's head as it came down.

Ash saw as the fist connected with the chin, saw Leavanny's eyes widen momentarily in surprise as the impact registered, before the intense cry of pain as the damage sunk in. He saw the harsh glare of the dog, a grim satisfaction registering from its face, despite no visible mouth. So much emotion conveyed in such little time; it truly was an impressive sight to behold

The Nurturing Pokémon was sent flying through the air, arcing spectacularly, unconscious before it hit the ground, skidding somewhat and coming to an undignified halt in one of the trenches it had carved in its earlier battle. Gromit shook its right fist slightly, then raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"Leavanny is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "The round goes to Gromit!"

"Absolutely outstanding!" Freddy cried. "One move is all that is needed, and without command! Such is the power of Wallace and Gromit together, that Sky Uppercut was perfectly executed without need for speech!"

The crowd roared its approval again, and Gromit held up a paw in a casual acknowledgement, his eyes never leaving Ash. Across the field, Wallace nodded sagely, watching as Ash torpidly returned Leavanny.

"Good job," he murmured before pocketing it, and switching it for the fifth, and last, Poké Ball on his belt. He looked across the field, stunned by the sudden shift again. This match had been full of moments that had surprised him, but even so, the dog took the biscuit, figuratively speaking. Without command, it had executed Sky Uppercut, a move of great power and skill; that was a demonstration of a bond between trainer and Pokémon few ever reached. Suddenly, despite still having the advantages in numbers, including Pikachu, who was yet to battle, Ash knew that Wallace was now actually on equal footing; he may have been an old timer, but he was a former Champion after all, making a mental note to look him up on the Roll of Honour at some point. He had no idea if Torkoal, already drained from its earlier battle, would be able to hold out; if anything it was simply a delaying tactic in the hope that Pikachu wouldn't have to fight his opponent at full strength.

"Torkoal, I choose you!"

The tortoise-like Pokémon billowed smoke as it was released for the second time that day. It looked across the field and fixed its squinted gaze onto Gromit.

"Begin!"

"Torkoal, use Flamethrower!" Torkoal unleashed a jet of fire towards Gromit, and again, Wallace gave no order. Instead, Gromit waited until the last minute, then leapt spectacularly over the flames as they shot beneath him and landed to the side. Torkoal tried to follow the dog-like Pokémon as it began to dart from side to side on all fours, zigzagging towards it.

"Torkoal, use Rapid Spin and Flamethrower simultaneously!" Ash hurriedly shouted. Torkoal shrunk its limbs back into its shell and started to spin, in order to create a tornado of flame to serve as an attack and defence, but Gromit was too quick; again, without order, it ducked under the fire and delivered a Sky Uppercut to Torkoal's soft underbelly, striking the Coal Pokémon where it hurt the most. A low guttural cry came from Torkoal as it flew upwards and back to earth with a sickening _crunch_ on charred grass. Gromit walked backwards slowly, away from Ash, keeping his eyes fixed to the prone form on the ground.

There was a moan, then Torkoal began to gradually prop itself up onto its legs and exhaled noisily, its face twisted into a sneer. Ash grinned; perhaps Torkoal had more left to give than he thought.

"Now, Torkoal, Heat Wave!"

The Pokémon pulled back its head and released a wall of flames from its mouth, widening across the battlefield and moving towards Gromit. The flames leapt higher and higher as they advanced; effectively leaving nowhere for the Wry Pokémon to move. However, for the first time, Wallace actually sent out a command.

"Quickly lad, use Double-Edge to break through the flames and hit Torkoal!"

Gromit suddenly barrelled forward, and leapt into a forward roll; he slid through the flames unscarred and continued his roll until he came up to Torkoal and planted himself into the side, sending Torkoal across the ground again.

"Hold on Torkoal, use Rapid Spin again!" Ash shouted; Torkoal began to spin and flew along the grass, back towards its opponent, who stood still, bracing himself for the attack. Just as Torkoal was about to hit, Gromit raised his left paw which glowed white, whilst he pulled his right back, which was engulfed in blue energy.

Ash recognized both moves again and suddenly knew what was about to happen.

"Torkoal, pull up, pull up!"

Too late; Gromit brought his left fist down on top of Torkoal, grounding it, before sending it flying upwards into the air again, flying across the battlefield and landing on the ground with a loud thwack. But again, after a pregnant pause, and to the raised eyebrow of its opponent, Torkoal righted itself and blew smoke out again, albeit a lot more slowly. Ash knew that Torkoal was all but down; he could only afford one more move.

"Finish it, lad!" shouted Wallace. "Use Giga Impact!"

"Torkoal, Overheat!" Ash cried out. "Try and stop him!"

A purple shield of energy with lines of white and yellow formed around Gromit as he suddenly began to float unassisted, before he began to fly directly towards Torkoal, who simultaneously unleashed a massive twister of fire and flame, black and red with the intensity at the dog-like Pokémon. The two attacks collided, but almost at once, Gromit surged through the flames, not even slowing, before crashing into Torkoal with an explosion of smoke. Flaming pieces of loose turf rained down around as the field was, once again, obscured from the view of trainers and the crowd, although Ash already knew in his heart of hearts what had transpired.

As the smog cleared, Torkoal laid still on the ground, unmoving, smoke no longer billowing from the nostrils. Gromit was ever so slightly wincing, and was blackened with soot on one arm but was otherwise uninjured on the surface.

"Torkoal is unable to battle! The round goes to Gromit!"

"Outstanding!" hollered Freddy down his microphone as the crowd roared again. "Two successive knockouts for Gromit, and you can see why with technique like that! "Using Brick Break and Sky Uppercut for a double hit, utilizing Double Edge as a defensive attack, and Giga Impact in order to overpower opponents; absolute genius!"

_It was genius_, Ash thought to himself as he returned Torkoal. Simple, but genius.

"Well, folks, both of our fighters have now lost five apiece!" Freddy continued. "Which means that this is the final round; winner takes all! The fight you have been waiting for all this time! And there can only be one more for Ash Ketchum; ladies and gentlemen, Pikachu!"

Ash turned to Pikachu, knelt down and placed a hand on the shoulder as the crowd went ballistic.

"No matter what, give it your best, buddy," he said softly. "That's all I ask for; your best."

"Pika." His best friend nodded and scampered out onto the battlefield to face his opponent.

"Well, young man," Wallace shouted across the noise of the crowd. "You've proven that your generation still produce good talent like we used to have, I must say. But I think you'll find this last match tougher than those before! Not to blow my own trumpet, but I have a very good idea about how this will finish!"

Ash nodded and grinned. "Let's find out, shall we?"

"Begin!"

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted, immediately throwing himself on the offensive. Pikachu nodded, and fired yellow lightning from his body, directly towards Gromit, who rolled to the side and began to race towards Pikachu.

"Gromit, use Brick Break on Pikachu!" Wallace called out.

"Pikachu, counter Brick Break with Iron Tail!" Ash retaliated. As Gromit leapt into the air to bring its glowing paw down, Pikachu bounced up from the ground, and swung its tail round skywards, the metallic silver gleaming in the sunlight and reflecting throughout the stadium. The two attacks clashed and for the briefest of seconds came the distinct grinding sound as both tried to overpower one another before Gromit managed to overpower the Mouse Pokémon and plough it face first into the ruined turf with a sickening crunch.

"Gromit, use Brick Break again!" Wallace ordered as the Wry Pokémon stood over Pikachu, half buried into the ground.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack to dodge it!" Ash called. Pikachu managed to wriggle forwards slightly before bursting out with incredible speed, just missing Gromit's attack as it came down on the battlefield; there was a crack, and Gromit's eyes widened before shutting tightly as it dropped to one knee.

"What's up, lad?" Wallace asked worriedly as Pikachu broke out of Quick Attack and turned to face its opponent again.

"It looks like Gromit's Brick Break has caused self-injury!" Freddy shouted down the microphone as Gromit slowly began to regain his footing, cradling its right paw in its left. "One of the downsides of using Double-Edge, even as a defensive move, is that fact that the user takes damage as well, damage that can weaken a competitor's power and health levels throughout a match! It looks like Gromit's injuries may be beginning to catch up with him!"

Ash looked on as Gromit walked back several paces, still facing down his opponents, before assuming a fighting stance again. Regardless of the sudden shock of his injuries, it appeared that there would still be no stopping Gromit, although it probably meant he would be unable to use Brick Break again. Indeed, all of Gromit's attacks were close-quarters, meaning that Pikachu would have to utilize his long range moves in order to defeat the Wry Pokémon.

"Pikachu, Electro Ball!"

Pikachu flipped his tail upwards again and a ball of electricity, crackling yellow and black, began to form.

"Gromit, use Double-Edge, quickly!" Wallace commanded.

"_What_?" Ash shouted out, surprised. _Why the heck would Wallace do a move like Double-Edge again, if it was only going to weaken Gromit as well?_, he thought.

Gromit barrelled towards Pikachu with such sudden speed, Ash honestly thought he was using Extremespeed. Before Pikachu had chance to launch Electro Ball, Gromit had collided with such a violent intensity, Pikachu screamed at the impact as the two went flying across the battlefield. Before they could make it to Ash though, Pikachu managed to launch Electro Ball, sending Gromit back across the grass, rolling, yet coming to rest on all fours again. Pikachu also landed on its feet, but was now sporting a large bruise on his right side and a cut on his left cheek.

It became apparent to Ash that because Gromit was no actually carrying an unexpected injury, Wallace had stopped going for the combinations and clever move demonstrations both trainers had been trying throughout the battle. He had resorted to that age-old style of combat known as brute force, and was trying to take Pikachu down not through flashiness but through risky moves that would but hard solid damage onto Pikachu.

"Gromit, use Sky Uppercut on the chunks of turf to send them at Pikachu!" Wallace commanded, thrusting out an arm for effect; it reminded Ash of Cilan, and being distracted by memories of his crazy friends were not going to help him here.

Gromit rammed his paw – his uninjured one – into the ground and sent the chunks that had settled into the air. Then, he twisted with an almost balletic grace before planting his fist into the chunks; they went rocketing towards Pikachu, little green projectiles like a makeshift Bullet Seed.

"Thunderbolt, Pikachu, to counter it!"

Pikachu blasted a bolt of electricity at the incoming projectiles, stopping most of them dead; however, some evaded the attack and pelted Pikachu, causing the Mouse Pokémon to stumble slightly.

"Now, Pikachu, use Electro Ball!"

"Counter it back with Sky Uppercut, lad!"

Electro Ball shot across the field, only to be batted back by the blue fist, causing sparks to erupt and the attack to be returned towards Pikachu, who artfully dodged it and came up into a Quick Attack headed towards Gromit, who rolled to one side to dodge the attack, wincing somewhat, who followed it up with another Double-Edge, which Pikachu tried to evade but was again caught in, causing damage to both as the tumbled around the field, each trying to find a potential foothold in the battle but unable to gain an advantage.

As Pikachu and Gromit disengaged themselves and moved back to their respective ends, Ash looked at the two fighters. His best friend was covered in more bruises and scratches, purple and black, and was breathing heavily. He had taken multiple big heavy attacks; Gromit didn't have any weak moves in his arsenal, whilst Pikachu's Quick Attack, whilst good for dodging, was still underpowered.

Gromit, however, appeared to be in equal shape. There was a large bruise forming over one eye, and one of the brown ears had been bent at an awkward angle, plus he was limping. Indeed, Gromit was also on his last legs, but so was Pikachu. The only problem was that Gromit could easily deliver an attack against Pikachu that would defeat him in one hit. But Pikachu would probably need to score a dead on strike with his most powerful move Iron Tail, except Gromit could intercept that.

Unless he was already in the course of an irreversible attack.

"Pikachu, use Electro Ball and charge it up with Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted. Pikachu nodded, then began to form an Electro Ball.

"Hold your attack, lad!" Wallace called out as he watched the move begin to take shape in front of him. The Electro Ball was getting larger as Pikachu began to attach Thunderbolt to it.

"Now, Pikachu, fire at will!" Ash commanded. Pikachu swept its tail round, then launched the large ball of electricity towards its opponent.

"Gromit, use Giga Impact!" Wallace ordered, and for the first time, there was intensity in his voice, as if he knew that this could be the killing stroke to defeat his opponent. Gromit again began to float and then, with the purple energy surround him like a shield, darted through the air towards the oncoming attack.

"Now, Pikachu, leap up behind Electro Ball!"

Pikachu darted forward, jumping behind Electro Ball just as Gromit was about to collide with it, the Wry Pokémon unable to see where his opponent had gone.

"Use Iron Tail and bring it down on the apex of Giga Impact!"

The tail gleamed metallic and Pikachu brought it down, through the black storm of energy Ball, onto the very tip of Giga Impact where the prior attack had just made contact. It broke through the energy shield and crash against Gromit's skull.

There was an almighty explosion of electricity and energy that caused wind and smoke to be whipped up with a loud crash; the electrics of the stadium screens flickered under the onslaught of power form the collision and the crowd screamed as tendrils of yellow and purple whipped out from the centre of the field like lightning bolts, smashing into the sides of the stadium.

After what seemed like an eternity, the smoke on the field began to clear to show both trainers, looking onto the field impassively, their emotions concealed, as the rest of the energy disappeared into the air.

Pikachu was standing.

Gromit was standing.

There was a collective silence that had descended not just across the stadium, but across the world as all the people at home watching the match on television sat in shock.

Then, to Ash's surprise, Gromit's features were rearranged into something that resembled resignation and happiness, despite the fact there was no visible mouth. He fell to one knee and keeled over to one side, his eyes shutting.

There was a beat, then Ash exhaled, Wallace nodded and the crowd roared.

"What a contest!" hollered Freddy amongst the wild screaming and chanting. "What a contest! Ash Ketchum has proved, once again, that he is one of the greats, but he was run so close by our former Champion of yesteryear, Wallace! An absolutely outstanding battle! One to go down in the history of both trainers' records. Staggering!"

Pikachu turned and bounded in Ash's arms excitedly, somehow finding a new lease of energy in the euphoria of their win. Ash grinned somewhat stuidly and hugged Pikachu close, being careful not to aggrevate any injuries.

"Pika!"

"Yeah, I know! Well done out there!"

The two smiled at each other lopsidedly. A shadow fell across the pair and they turned to see Wallace had crossed the field towards them. To Ash's surprise, Gromit was stood next to his trainer, albeit still looking battered and bruised, and not fully lucid.

"That was a well fought battle, young man," the older gentleman said, smiling, in an accent Ash still could not place. "I know that they call you the greatest trainer of your generation and after a battle like that I can see why. You may not be the most skilled or the most powerful, but you have the determination, and that is all that is required to be a true Pokémon Master."

Ash felt himself go slightly red at the commendation; it still felt good to be praised by his opponents, in loss or victory.

"You were an excellent fighter yourself, sir," he replied. "I'm ashamed to say I can't ever remember seeing your name on the Roll of Honour though."

Wallace gave a hearty laugh. "I dare say I am somewhere in the deeper parts of the Hall of Fame, Ash," he answered with a wry grin. "I was Champion at the age of eleven, one of the youngest ever; that is a long time ago."

Despite himself, Ash gaped. "You were only eleven?"

Wallace nodded. "Indeed. But you have to remember, that was before the field was so competitive. For you to be Champion now is still such an achievement."

He turned to his companion, who nodded, then back to Ash.

"But I believe you have not learnt everything yet. You saw how Gromit was able to battle on occasion without command?"

Ash nodded. "Yeah, I did."

Wallace gave a small smile. "Then perhaps, if you would be so kind as to accompany to the faraway region of Northwestern England and to my hometown of Preston, I can show you how to truly become one with the mind of your Pokémon. What do you say?"

As the crowd continued to roar and Freddy continued to shout wildly, Ash glanced at Pikachu. Pikachu smiled and nodded, and Ash turned back to Wallace and Gromit with a grin.

"Why not. I'm always up for an adventure."

* * *

FIN


End file.
